NEW DELHI: India and China have agreed to disengage troops from a bitterly contested lake area in the western Himalayas, the Indian defence minister said on Thursday, in a breakthrough after a months-long standoff on the disputed border.
Rajnath Singh told parliament the accord had been reached after several rounds of talks between military commanders and diplomats.
“Our sustained talks with China have led to agreement on disengagement on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake,” he said.
China’s defence ministry said frontline troops from the two countries had begun to pull back from the shores of the lake on Wednesday.
The standoff began in April last year when India said Chinese troops had intruded deep into its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) or the de facto border in the Ladakh area in the western Himalayas.
China said its troops were operating in its own area and accused Indian border guards of provocative actions.
In June last year, 20 Indian soldiers were killed when the two sides clashed with iron rods and stones in the Galwan Valley, the first combat losses on the border in 45 years. China also suffered an unspecified number of casualties.
Singh said the Indian government had told Beijing that peace and tranquility had been seriously disturbed by the actions of Chinese troops and bilateral ties had suffered.
“To ensure disengagement in friction points along the LAC, it was our view that troops of both sides, who are now in close proximity, should vacate the forward deployments made in 2020 and return to the permanent and accepted bases,” he said.
Once the disengagement has been completed at the high altitude Pangong lake, military commanders will meet within 48 hours to discuss pull back from other areas, Singh said.
India and China fought a war in 1962 and since then have not been able to agree on their 3,500-kilometre long border.
China eventually had to bow to India. Because India is a country with strong policies, whereas nobody listens to Pakistan. Recently, news has come that Pakistan will have to take permission from IMF to increase the salary of its government employees. India has also succeeded in bending an economic force like China on the basis of its right policies and a strong government. But Pakistan has been begging since the beginning. In such a situation, no country takes Pakistan seriously today. Actually, it has not happened in a day, but it is a result of the failure of wrong policies of years. If seen, taking IMF permission to increase the salary of its government employees is also a violation of the sovereignty of Pakistan. But on one side there is a country like India which is also able to face China to protect its sovereignty. On the other side is Pakistan, which has no way but to listen to the IMF.
There are very many issues like a) patrolling areas at Pegong Tso (finger 4-8); b) standoff and patrolling at Galwan valley and Depsong plain areas; c) Indian presence at Black Top, Yellow Bump, Helmet Top, Digging Area, Chuti Chamla, Magar hill, Gurung Hill, Recehen La, Rezang La, Mokhpari etc viz a viz China’s presence in west of Spangur Tso/ Maldo etc.
Wait and watch. 🤔
There is NO ACCORD as suggested. India andChina are only disengaging from offensive pastures with caution. Once it is done, it needs to be confirmed by both sides. the settlement of basic contentious issues at LAC will start only thereafter, one by one. It is a tedious job but “We shall overcome one day” … 😝
Within 10 hours of declaring disengagement, all Chinese Mama boys ran away in a flash back home-base. Russian agency has stated Chinese soldiers died in Galwan clash are more than 45 against 20 honorable Indian martyr soldiers who were given a final send off with prestige! Like Pakistan who leaves their brave soldiers bodies to be eaten by wild animals Chinese have trenched their 1 child laadlas in deepest of deep innocuous holes!